DILG-ARMM strengthens drive against illegal drugs and terrorism

Cotabato City (January 12, 2018) – The Department of the Interior and Local Government of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (DILG-ARMM) is strengthening its Anti-Drug Abuse Councils to help in solving the drug problem.

As of December 2017, the regional offices of the Philippine National Police, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, and other law enforcement agencies have listed around 56,000 individuals in the ARMM who are coping with the drug problem.

Atty. Noor Hafizullah Abdullah, DILG-ARMM Secretary, provided an update on the efforts of the autonomous Muslim region and the different local government units (LGUs) in the fight against illegal drugs and terrorism on Thursday, January 11.

Sec. Abdullah said there was a proposal to create a Regional Anti-Drug Abuse Council for ARMM to oversee the lower level councils, specifically provincial, municipal, city, and barangay.

He said the LGUs are also actively supporting the fight against terrorism and violent extremism. The DILG-ARMM, he added, has issued an order to all LGUs to conduct anti-terrorism summits and to help monitor the activities of suspicious individuals in their respective areas.

Sec. Abdullah said he is positive that LGUs in the ARMM will continue to manifest good performance in terms of administrative management and good governance this year. “We want to make a statement that our LGUs in the ARMM are competent,” he added.

During the briefing, Sec. Abdullah discussed the Three-Year Governance Road Map of DILG-ARMM. After two years, the regional department will focus on the implementation of the plans, one of which is disaster plans of LGUs. Trainings for disaster officers, purchase of equipment for disaster preparedness, and other indicators of implementation shall be checked as part of the assessment.

Another matter discussed by Sec. Abdullah is the issue on absenteeism involving some LGU officials. He urged their constituents to be brave enough and not to hesitate in reporting wrongdoings of their local officials, provided that these concerns are put in black and white so these would be treated as official reports.

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